The shadow of losses the BJP suffered in the recently concluded Assembly polls in five States, specifically Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, loomed large over the Union Budget as it had over policy decisions taken over the last two months.
The poll campaign and the results revealed to the BJP not just that their own cadre was upset with the lack of forward movement on ideological issues, but that there was upper caste resentment and most of all, anger among farmers who had seen liquidity being sucked out of the rural economy as the effects of demonetisation kicked in.
While the government got a 10% quota for economically weaker sections in the general category cleared through Parliament to assuage upper caste anger, and asking the Supreme Court to vacate the stay on the undisputed land in the Ram Janmabhoomi case, the relief package for farmers and raising of the exemption from income tax was the one that took most time.
BJP leaders are hoping the farmers' income support scheme and interest subventions on farm loans will reverse some of the anger felt in rural areas in the run-up to the General Elections, while keeping those with incomes of upto ₹ 5 lakh out of the tax bracket, will appeal to the party’s traditional middle class vote bank.
BJP chief Amit Shah said that the Budget was "historic" in its scope and proved once again the pro-poor, and pro-farmer credentials of the Narendra Modi government. He said that tax relief to those with income below ₹ 5 lakh "will not only provide tax relief to the middle class but also deepen their participation in the country’s development".
The Opposition was quick to brand the Union Budget an informal BJP manifesto for the General Elections. The BJP is hoping that it would be the Budget that could game the election for them.